Tucket was the saddest bucket in the world. He had once been a garden favourite and the gardener used to swing him by his strong handle as he went to fetch water. “What a good bucket,” he said. But as time passed, Tucket the bucket got a hole. Suddenly he was useless. What good is a bucket with a hole? Tucket was tossed into the corner of the garden. He was left out in the rain and the sun, and began to rust. Sometimes he even got kicked around. “I should throw that bucket away,” the gardener muttered.

Tucket didn’t want to be thrown away. He felt very sad, though his good friends in the garden tried to cheer him up. The squirrels set him back up when he was kicked down, and the birds cheerfully flapped about him. “Don’t worry Tucket,” they chirped soothingly. Tucket really tried to be happy but it was very, very hard.

One day, a little girl ran through the garden and stopped in front of Tucket. He sighed and waited for the usual kicks when suddenly he heard “Perfect!” Soon he found himself blinking and spluttering under the garden hose. The girl was cleaning him! He felt heavy chunks of rust fall off and his spirits brightened.

The girl took him to the verandah, filled him with rich soil and planted a tiny rose inside. “This is a baby rose,” she said to Tucket. “You must help me take care of her, okay?” Tucket was so happy. The girl really wanted him! She even asked him to take care of this small rose. Tucket nearly burst with joy. He straightened himself up proudly as the girl finished planting.

She carefully placed Tucket in the best spot of the verandah. It was a cosy corner, protected from the wind and the rain. Tucket winked and smiled at his friends in the garden. “Look, I’m taking care of this little rose!” “We’re very happy for you Tucket,” chattered the squirrels, and the birds chirped happily. Tucket took great care of the rose and was visited by the girl and his friends every day. He was now the happiest bucket in the world.